Jordan's jam highlights Clippers' rout of Pistons

LOS ANGELES -- Competing without two key players could have meant bad news for the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, with the hapless Detroit Pistons in town, it just meant two more guys who couldn't get in on all the fun.

The Pistons don't have a win on the road against a Western Conference opponent all year, and that didn't change in Los Angeles even without the Clippers playing without key backups Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe.

The Clippers took care of business early, then coasted to a 129-97 victory Sunday at a sold-out Staples Center.

And when it comes to the Clippers, coasting usually means having fun and throwing down vicious dunks on opponents.

None of which changed Sunday, with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan taking turns posterizing the Pistons.

Jordan won the unofficial dunk contest with a slam that might have been the best of the NBA season.

It happened in the second quarter off an alley-oop pass from Chris Paul. Jordan rose above the Pistons' Brandon Knight, and with his head nearly at the rim, caught Paul's pass with his both hands, switched the ball to his right hand, cocked it back, then attacked the basket with a thundering dunk.

Knight went sprawling to the floor, the crowd went nuts, and Jordan's teammates reacted in near disbelief at how high he rose and the power with which he delivered the jam.

Said Jordan: "I haven't seen it yet, but by the reaction, I'm guessing it was pretty good. Just my teammate's reactions. Just seeing them look at me like they saw a ghost behind me."

Paul said of the dunk, "That was pretty crazy. All I have in my memory bank is that pass and the aftermath. That was pretty impressive. I usually try not to react to those, but that was pretty good. Me and DJ were trying to set that play up for three to four possessions."

Knight left without talking to reporters, but his teammates said it was nothing out of the ordinary for a Clippers team accustomed to putting on highlight shows.

"That's what they do," Pistons center Greg Monroe said. "You see it every night on TV. It wasn't anything out of the norm when it comes to them."

It was one of those nights for the Clippers, who got the heavy lifting out of the way with 70 first-half points on 64.3 percent shooting to take an 18-point lead at halftime.

Los Angeles (45-20) spent the rest of the night having fun against the Pistons, who opened a four-game trip through the west with a resounding thud. Detroit fell behind by as many as 33 points in the fourth quarter.

It took Griffin just 11 minutes to get to 18 points, and he finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.

Paul added 20 points and 14 assists. All five Clippers starters scored in double figures, and Matt Barnes and Willie Green came off the bench to add 16 and 11 points, respectively.

"This can't continue. If you don't want to play, just say it. But this has to stop, it's unacceptable," Monroe said. "If you don't want to play, then you should say it. This is unacceptable, and it's gone on too long. If you don't want to give 100 percent on the floor, then just don't play."

NOTES: Clippers forward Caron Butler left the game with an elbow injury and will undergo an MRI exam Monday. "He's in pain right now, so hopefully we'll get some good news tomorrow," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. ... Pistons coach Lawrence Frank missed his third consecutive game to be with his ill wife in New Jersey. It's doubtful he'll be back during the Pistons four-game road trip that began Sunday. Assistant Brian Hill, who has been coaching in Frank's absence, can empathize. "I'm sure it's very difficult for him. I know if it was me, it would be extremely hard to be away from your team during the regular season. But family takes priority." ... Bledsoe has a left calf injury. Crawford has missed the past two games with a sore left ankle. ... Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, who won an NBA championship with the Pistons, entered the night averaging 18.2 points in 14 games against his former mates, his second-highest average against any team. He had 10 points Sunday. ... The Pistons play the Jazz in Utah on Monday. The Clippers play host to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.